Journey into the Light
by CatStar
Summary: A sequel to my Takari, "This I Promise You." It's Hikari's and Takeru's anniversary, but Takeru's a little late... Can his reason be... deadly? Read and find out...
1. An Anniversary

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. Only the things in the story that are not originally from Digimon ^.^  
  
A/N: This takes place 6 years after my Takari, "This I Promise You". Kari, TK, and Daisuke are 19, Miyako, Mimi, and Koshirou 20, Jyou 23, Iori 18, Sora, Taichi, and Yamato 22.  
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Hikari Yagami stepped out onto the bright, sunny afternoon. The golden sun  
radiated against her auburn hair and the wind blew it back, exposing her beautiful face.   
She shaded her auburn eyes from the sun and looked around campus for a certain  
somebody. Finally, she saw him. His blonde hair was flowing in the wind, and his bright blue eyes sparkled with love as he looked at her.   
  
"Hey Takeru!" she greeted, as she ran up to him. He wrapped his arms around her  
waist as she flew her arms around his neck and gave him the sweet kiss he had been  
longing for hours. He slid his lips down from her lips and nuzzled her neck. Another  
thing he wanted to do for hours.  
  
Hikari giggled. "Takeru..." she chided softly, pulling away. "Not out here in the  
open. Look, people are already staring at us." She nodded to the three girls about ten  
feet away from them, who were eyeing the couple, curiously. As soon as they saw Hikari look at them, they flushed, and walked the other way.  
  
Takeru pretended to look hurt. "You can't be nervous about PDA now can't you?   
It's been six years, Hikari. Or maybe you just don't want to be seen with me anymore..." He turned away, wiping fake tears from his face, sniffling a little.  
  
Hikari rolled her eyes and gave a little giggle. "You might be a star in basketball,  
TK," she said, grinning mischievously. "But....you're not exactly a star in acting!" With  
that, she jumped upon his back. Since he wasn't expecting that, they both tumbled toward the green grass, laughing like little children.  
  
Giving him another kiss, she said, "Do you know what today is?"  
  
Takeru smiled at her and got up from the ground. He helped her up and slid an  
arm around her waist as they walked across the campus, heading for the dorms. "Six  
happy years, Hikari....How could I forget?"  
  
Takeru Takaishi and Hikari Yagami have been dating each other since they were  
13-years-old. They both have liked each other since the Digital World, but as young as  
they were, they were too nervous to tell each other. When they were 13, Hikari was  
going out with Daisuke Motomiya, another fellow Digidestined. Things did not go well  
for the both of them, but Takeru was the shoulder for Hikari to cry on. They confessed  
their love for each other on the night of a school dance, and they had been inseparable  
since then. Six years had passed by, and their love had grew closer than they already  
were.  
  
They walked in silence for a couple of minutes. They were both second-year students  
at the University of Japan. Hikari was an English major, while Takeru was a Physical  
Education major, so they didn't have many classes together. However, they were both  
Psychology minors, so as often as they could, they would try to schedule themselves to be in the same class.  
  
They walked into Itobi Hall, the dorm building that they both stayed in. Going up  
the elevator seemed like eternity to them, considering they were both on the very top  
floor. As they were riding up Takeru reached into his pocket and brought out a small box wrapped in pink wrapping paper with silver stars.  
  
A smile lit of Hikari's face and her eyes were sparkling. "I guess we had the same  
idea," she said, bringing out her own package from her purse. They swapped presents and quickly opened them up. Inside the box, Hikari found a beautiful necklace. The charm was in the shape of a golden heart, embedded in diamonds. It was held by a gold chain that shimmered in the elevator light.  
  
Takeru's gift was a picture and autograph signed by Jutoshi Myonu, a famous  
basketball player from Japan. He was one of Takeru's absolute favorite players. His eyes practically bulged out of their sockets when he opened up his present. "Hikari!" he  
exclaimed. "This is excellent! How'd you get this??"  
  
Hikari smiled at Takeru's enthusiasm. "I got Taichi to get it for me. He has some  
surprising connections," was all she said. Taichi, her older brother, was a star soccer  
player and was rapidly becoming famous in the area.  
  
Hikari looked fondly at the necklace. "This is really beautiful, Takeru," she said,  
watching it practically glow with her energy. She sighed. "Six years...."  
  
Takeru reached for the necklace and gently locked it around her neck. Then, he  
took one more look at his signed picture, and couldn't take it anymore. He let out a big  
whoop and picked up Hikari, swinging her around in the elevator  
  
_Ding!  
_  
"Takeru! Hikari!"   
  
"Miyako?" Takeru stopped in mid-twirl and put Hikari down. Miyako Inoue,  
another fellow Digidestined, was standing at the entrance of the elevator as it opened up.   
  
"Konnichiwa," Miyako greeted her friends. "You guys better get out of there  
quick."  
  
Sure enough, they've been in there for too long. The elevator started to close up.   
The three friends giggling, they helped each other hold the doors open.   
  
"Happy anniversary," Miyako said, as they walked down the hall. "Six years, huh?   
I swear, I could never, ever forget how you two became a couple. It is the sweetest  
thing."   
  
Hikari and Takeru smiled at each other, remembering that Miyako was there at the  
dance when the relationship happened. "We're going out tonight," said Hikari.  
  
"Hai, for dinner," Takeru said. "I've made reservations at Crystal Tower."  
  
Miyako whirled around to face her friends and walked backwards. "Crystal  
Tower?!" she exclaimed. "Takeru! That place is so....so...."  
  
"Expensive?" asked Hikari.  
  
"Fancy?" suggested Takeru.  
  
"Hai. Exactly. Where'd you get that money?"  
  
The couple looked at each other. "We've been saving up the past six years,"  
admitted Hikari.  
  
"How much? No wait, don't say how much, I know you guys have a lot. I  
mean....Crystal Tower...." Miyako looked awed.  
  
"Well, it's nothing but the best for Hikari," replied Takeru, putting his arm around  
her. She blushed and she and Miyako stopped in front of their dorm. Takeru's dorm was with Daisuke, Iori Hida, and Koushiro Izumi, which was way farther down the hall. Miyako took out the key, and the three of them went inside as Hikari told her about their plans for that night.  
  
"So, you guys are going there separately?" Miyako inquired, skeptically, sitting  
down on the couch.  
  
"We've decided not to see each other until the dinner. Sort of like how weddings  
are," explained Takeru.  
  
"It will bring suspense and then we'll be happily surprised to see each other when  
we meet at the restaurant," added Hikari.  
  
Miyako looked thoughtful. "A little weird....But I think I get what you're saying."  
  
They both nodded. Takeru looked at his watch. "Well, I better be going. Hikari  
and I aren't going to see each other, starting at 2:00, and that's in a couple of minutes."  
  
Hikari explained, "At 6:30, we will meet again at dinner."  
  
Takeru looked at her and smiled. He gave her one last kiss. Before heading out  
the door, he said, "Just wait....Tonight will be a night you'll never forget!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
_"Tonight will be a night you'll never forget". Boy, was he right,_ fumed Hikari at  
her table. It was 7:00 PM, and she had been waiting at Crystal Tower for her boyfriend  
for half an hour. This really got Hikari mad. He was never late for anything. She knew  
that he didn't have any basketball games that night, or any appointments. And she was  
getting edgy and more angry by the moment.  
  
She smoothed out her dress. Miyako helped her pick it out when they went  
shopping. It was sleeveless and dark purple, with a V-shaped neck. The dress flowed  
down her legs like a waterfall, stopping at the bottom of her knees, except for a 5 inch slit. She had a black shawl that she wore into the building, but it was now seated at the back of her chair.  
  
For the first time in 6 years, Takeru's actually making me feel like an idiot! she  
realized. _ He better have a good explanation for this....I'm getting so pissed off....._  
  
_Meanwhile...._  
  
_I hope Hikari's not pissed off at me,_ thought Takeru, worriedly. He was driving  
down the highway of Route 68, with his eyes averting to the car clock every minute. "It's 7:00," he said to himself. "Oh please Hikari, don't be mad. I promise I'll get there...."  
  
There was sort of a tire trouble while going to Crystal Tower. It just seemed to  
become flat in the middle of the highway. Takeru left the dorm at around 5:30, wanting to get to the restaurant early. But when the tire got flat, he had to pull over to the side of the highway. When he did, the tire instantly fell off. Then he realized that he didn't have a spare tire. He was going to call a garage on his cell phone, but when he tried to, his cell phone died right in front of him.  
  
"Damn it," he muttered, shoving the phone back in the car. Suddenly, he  
remembered when he was 8-years-old, and he and the older Digidestined needed to hitch a ride. He decided to do that, considering how pathetic it'll look. He waved his arms out to people for about 45 minutes, until one finally stopped.  
  
"Excuse me," he said, panting, tired from jumping up and down. "But do you  
have a spare tire?"  
  
"Yes I do," replied the man in the car. "Looks like you're in a bit of trouble.   
Here, I'll help you put it on your car." The man got out and opened up his truck,  
revealing a brand new tire.  
  
"Great! Arigatou! Thank you so much!" Takeru exclaimed.  
  
It took them about 30 minutes just to get that on. Now Takeru was going to be  
late for the dinner, since Crystal Tower is not exactly walking distance.  
  
"Please don't be late, please don't be late, please don't be late," he pleaded to  
himself, seeing that it was already dark outside.   
  
His sweaty hands gripped the wheel, nervously. The last thing he wanted was an  
angry Hikari. He saw the road sign for a sharp right turn. Not too sharp though, because there was a quarry at the bottom of the road. Takeru was about to make a sharp, but elegant right turn. Suddenly, a bullet shot out from the back window of his car.  
  
"What the hell?!" he yelled. He tried to gain control of the car, but the glass that  
shattered was blinding him. His car swerved and turned upside-down, banging Takeru's  
head against the ceiling of the car, almost breaking his neck. Suddenly, something heavy crashed into his own vehicle, and that's all that it took to make him plunge into the quarry.  
  
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Well, what'd u think? Please review....and no flames, please! I promise it will get better!  
  



	2. The Mission

A/N: This part is a little corney....  
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"Excuse me," announced a man into a microphone, standing in the corner of the Crystal Tower room, next to a telephone. He was middle-aged and tall, wearing a simple black tuxedo and bow tie. His black hair was neatly trimmed, and his dark blue eyes scanned the room at every person. "Is there a Hikari Yagami-san in here?"  
  
Hikari was surprised. "Um...I'm Hikari Yagami," she replied, standing up from  
her seat, cautious about all the people who were watching her.  
  
"There is a telephone call for you, Yagami-san," the man said, holding up the  
phone.   
  
_Maybe it's Takeru! _ Hikari thought hopefully, as she grabbed her shawl and purse,  
making her way through the mazes of seats and tables. _He's probably calling to give me an explanation of his lateness! I hope he's okay  
._  
"Arigatou," Hikari murmured at the man when she got to the telephone. He  
bowed, and walked away from her, and into the kitchen. Hikari held the phone to her ear. "Moshi moshi? Takeru?"  
  
"Moshi moshi, Hikari-chan. No, this is not Takeru," said a familiar male voice.  
  
"Koushiro-kun!" Again, Hikari was surprised. "Why are you calling me here?   
What's going on? Do you know where Takeru is? He's late for our date."  
  
There was a pause on the other line. It was so silent, Hikari could make out the  
noise of sirens and people talking in the background. "Koushiro? Where are you?" she  
asked, curiously.  
  
He cleared his throat. "I was in Kokuya City today, Hikari. The city you're in  
right now. You know that they have a great variety of laptops here, so knowing  
me....Well, anyway, I was driving back on Route 68, and....." He paused.  
  
"And....?" Hikari pressed.  
  
"There's been an accident, Hikari," Koushiro said, sorrowful. "There was this  
drunk driver.....I'm talking VERY drunk. He even got out a gun and started shooting  
through his car window. He didn't know what he was doing. It shot through Takeru's  
car. It swiveled, and it fell down a quarry....." His voice trailed off.  
  
Hikari fell silent. _No....No way could this happen! Takeru is not at the bottom of  
a quarry right now. No....he's on his way over here right now, and I will see his smiling  
face at the door in a couple of minutes....."_You're lying," Hikari accused, trying to be  
bold. But her voice was as faint as a cricket. Tears started to well up in her eyes.  
  
"Hikari...." Koushiro said, quietly. "The police are here. And the ambulance.   
They're trying to find Takeru's body. They-"  
  
"NO!" Hikari cried. Tears started flowing down her face, right there in the  
restaurant in front of everybody. But she didn't care. "Route 68....Koushiro, please, stay there. I'll be right there!" she cried, frantically. "Ja ne!" She slammed the phone down back in it's receiver.  
  
She wanted to get out of there as fast as she could. She ran, dodging waiters and  
avoiding tables, and jumping over chairs....which was really hard, considering she was in high heals. She ran passed the waiter that served her and through a couple of yen at him. "Thank you for you're service!" she shouted at him, choking on her tears. Running to the parking lot, and putting her key in the ignition, she tried not to think about the worst that could happen to Takeru......  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
_That's five...._counted Koushiro in his head. He was counting the number of police  
cars that drove up to the scene of the accident. Another police car had just drove up,  
increasing the number of police there. _ Five police cars, two ambulances....But no  
Hikari....Where is she?  
_  
"Koushiro!" cried a female voice from behind him.   
  
"Hikari?" He whirled around, but the voice was not Hikari's. It was Sora  
Takenouchi, along with her boyfriend, Taichi Yagami, and Yamato Ishida. Yamato's dad  
and Takeru's mom followed right behind them. He had called them right after he was  
done calling Hikari. The two parents stopped to talk to the police officers, but the trio  
stampeded toward Koushiro so rapidly, he even thought that maybe they would miss him and fall off the quarry instead.  
  
But they didn't. The three of them skidded to a stop in front of their friend.  
Yamato's face was red and his eyes were bloodshot. It was obvious he was crying at the loss of his little brother. He had been trying to cover up his tears, but he failed miserably.  
  
Taichi and Sora weren't exactly clear-faced either. Both of their hair was messed  
up, and it was obvious all three of them had a break down. Sora's face was streaming  
with freshly fallen tears. Taichi's had just dried up, but he looked like he was about to  
start again.  
  
"Koushiro," croaked Yamato. "What-?"  
  
"Minna-san!!" someone yelled.  
  
The voice was Daisuke Motomiya's. Behind him were Jyou Kido, Iori Hida, and  
Miyako Inoue. They, too, were stampeding toward their friends like a herd of elephants.   
The only one who wasn't running was Hikari, who was right behind them. She was just  
trailing along, looking at the ground, acting as if she was going to turn around and run  
back any second.  
  
Then, she looked up, and saw all of her friends. The Chosen Children. Her fellow  
Digidestined, looking at her with sorrowful eyes. Her brain finally snapped and she  
realized that she is not the only one. She is not alone. Her friends were there to share the great pain about losing Takeru, Guardian of Hope, with her.  
  
Hikari suddenly burst into tears and ran towards them. She flew right into her  
brother's arms, and instantly, everyone joined in. She could feel the energy from them  
flow into her, comforting her heart.  
  
They finally pulled away, oblivious to the chaos that surrounded them. Police  
were running around. Detectives were asking questions to witnesses and Takeru and  
Yamato's parents. Paramedics were coming out of the ambulance with rope and  
mountain-climbing gear. They, along with some policemen, were climbing down the cliff, in search of Takeru's body.  
  
"Is-is....Takeru's body...." Hikari started, but that was all she could choke out.  
"Did they find Takeru's body yet?" Daisuke asked for her, glancing at the suffering  
girl. He wiped a tear away from his cheek. He and Takeru would sometimes get into  
arguments, but they were great friends. Daisuke had always had special feelings for  
Hikari, but he never wanted to ruin her happiness with Takeru. It hurt him to see her so  
pained.  
Koushiro shook his head, not saying a word.  
They fell silent, until a policewoman came up to them. She had red hair and bright  
green eyes that scanned seriously over the clipboard she was holding. "Is there a Yamato Ishida here?" she inquired the group.  
  
He stepped forward, quickly wiping away his tears. "I'm Yamato Ishida."  
  
She nodded, and held out her hand. "I'm Officer Chikara Satoshi, the one in  
charge of this case." They shook hands. "I understand that Takeru Takaishi was your  
brother."  
  
Yamato nodded. His words were too stuck inside his throat.  
  
"I've just got done talking to you're parents." She nodded in their direction, and  
the group saw that they were leaving the site. "The rest of the officers have searched the quarry in search of Takaishi-san's body-"  
  
"Where is it?" Iori spoke up, shakily. "Did you find the body?"  
  
"Is he okay?" Jyou wanted to know.  
  
_Please let him be okay...._Hikari pleaded.  
  
Officer Satoshi cleared her throat. It was obvious that she didn't want to say what  
she was about to say. "We couldn't find the body," she answered quietly.  
  
"What???" Sora burst out. "What do you mean?"  
  
The policewoman shrugged her shoulders hopelessly. "We couldn't find him," she  
said, holding out her hands to the group. "Our police and the paramedics searched every  
inch of the quarry. We've found parts of his car, but his body was no where to be seen."  
Hikari burst into tears. "Who did this to him?!" she wailed. Taichi and Miyako  
hugged her protectively. Hikari's tears were flowing so rapidly. Wet, salty spots formed  
on Miyako and Taichi's shirts as the tears poured into them. "Who's the bastard that did this to Takeru??"  
  
Officer Satoshi shook her head. "Apparently, it was a hit-and-run...Well, more like  
a shoot-and-run. The drunk was going too fast for anyone to get the license plate number. We can't even get any finger prints on the car, since it was a bullet that hit it."  
  
"So that's it, huh?" Yamato finished, angrily, clenching his fists. He looked like he  
was about to burn holes into the officer. "Takeru dies, but that crappy piece of shit goes  
free."  
  
She sighed wearily. "Look," she said. "I will be working on this case 24/7, so  
don't worry about it. Believe me, I will help you find out what happened." She looked  
around, seeing that her fellow officers were putting yellow tape and orange cones near the edge of the cliff. Some of them were packing up the mountain climbing equipment in the cars. "We're going to come back tomorrow for more investigation. "We'll notify you as soon as possible." She nodded. "Ja ne, minna-san."  
  
The group bowed in unison. "Ja ne, Satoshi-sensei," they replied, as they watched  
the red-headed officer walk to her car. Even if they didn't see it, she was working as hard as she could in this mystery. _What really bugs me, _she thought to herself, as she drove away, is that there is no remains of Takeru's body. _It's like it disappeared into thin air....._  
  
The Digidestined stayed at the site until they watched all of the cars exit. They  
were replaced by regular cars that used Route 68 at night. Most of them slowed down,  
looking at the constructed cliff with curiosity. Others just drove by as if they hadn't  
noticed anything.  
  
Hikari walked over to near the edge of the cliff. The moon was full and the sky  
was brimming with stars. It looked like such a heavenly night. But it wasn't so heavenly in the Digidestined's hearts. They had lost their Hope. They had lost one person that made them whole. Without their Hope, they could not feel like the Chosen Children.  
  
"TAKERU!" Hikari cried out into the night. She fell onto her knees, and once  
again, tears of sorrow washed over her. "Takeru-ko...."  
  
"Hikari, get away from there. You're going to get yourself killed!" snapped  
Taichi. The last thing the group wanted was to lose their Light, too. Taichi had to look  
out for his little sister, but he knew he sounded harsh. For the first time in a while, this  
Chosen Child did not live up to the Crest of Courage.  
  
"Shut the hell up, Taichi!" Hikari screamed at him. "It's better to die, knowing  
that I would be with Takeru! I love him, Taichi! You don't have to act all bitchy about  
it!" Her eyes widened at the sound of her tempestuous voice. "I'm sorry, Onii-chan," she  
quickly apologized softly to her brother.  
  
"That's okay, Hikari," he responded, quietly. "I should have been more  
understanding."  
  
"But," spoke up Sora. "It wouldn't do him any good if you died. He'd want you  
to live a happy life, Hikari."  
  
Hikari got up and looked at her friends. The friends that she's been with for so  
many years. She remembered the battles they fought, and all the good times they had  
together in the Digital World. These were the friends that stood by her through bad times, and the numerous times when they had saved both worlds from evil.  
  
With Hikari's heart full of light and compassion, her body glowed, just like it had  
been when she freed the Numemon from WaruMonzaemon's chains. Her body shimmered a pure white light, while a hint of pink shown inside her heart. The Symbol of Light flashed from her heart, covering the sky.  
  
Her friends looked at Hikari in awe. It has been a long time since her "light" had  
shown through. They've seen it before, but it wasn't as strong as this. The light gave her power, and it mainly did unexpected and surprising things.   
  
Just like what happened next.  
  
The light faded, and Hikari fainted from it's power. She fell to the ground,  
narrowly missing the edge of the cliff, but she held herself up. Floating in the air above  
her was a woman. She was tall and beautiful, in a white gown that flared like a waterfall  
to her feet, which had golden sandals on them that shined like the morning sun. Pink  
velvet outlined the top of her gown, as pink ribbons flowed against the skirt of her dress.   
A pink shawl was wrapped around her arms. Her hair was long and blonde, that was  
almost the same length as the dress, and her eyes were a deep sapphire blue, that sparkled exactly like the gem.  
  
Hikari stared up at her and said the first things that came out from her mouth.   
"Angewomon?"  
  
She smiled down at her. "No, Hikari. I am the Digiworld's Angel of Light."  
  
"Angel of Light?" Hikari repeated. She glanced at her friends and nearly laughed.   
All of their mouths were hanging open, and they were looking at the angel, speechless.   
"Isn't Nefertimon referred to as the Angel of Light?" she couldn't help asking.  
  
The Angel of Light laughed. Her laughter was like the sound of peeling bells. "I  
am you're Angel of Light, Hikari," she answered elegantly. "I am the one that gives you  
the power of light, and watches over you every day of your life." Her face turned grave.   
"Hope is gone."  
  
Hikari looked at the ground, then looked back up, desperately. "Can you help me,  
Angel of Light?" she pleaded. "Please, help me get Takeru back."  
  
Light shook her head. "I'm afraid I have no idea where he is. But," she paused.  
"You can find out."  
  
"Me??" exclaimed Hikari in utter confusion. "How? Why me??"  
  
"You and Takeru are directly linked, spiritually. You are Light, he is Hope.   
Without Hope, there is no Light. Without Light, there is no Hope. You two are soul  
mates, Hikari. Wherever he is, you can find him."  
  
"But I don't know where to start!" Hikari said, desperately.  
  
"There is a great journey ahead for you, Hikari," Light said. "If you pass in 24  
Earth hours, you will find Takeru's body and he will be revived. If not, you will never see  
him again. I'm sorry, but that's how it is. I wish it could be easier."  
  
Hikari gulped, but bravely replied, "I don't care. I will do anything to help Takeru.   
Please tell me what to do."  
  
Light nodded. "Very well. What I'm about to tell you will get you prepared for  
your journey into the light...."  
  
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What'd ya think? Please review! Oh, and I know I used "sensei" as the title for Officer Satoshi. But according to "Castle in the Sky", the suffix "sensei" can be used for anyone who is an expert or leader in their field. Well, bye now! ^.^  



	3. Hikari's Determination- The Light Crysta...

Ack....Konnichiwa minna-san....Gomen nasai, I know my chapter is a TINY bit late. Gomen, I was SOOOO busy, I couldn't get this done. Well, I finally have it out! Be sure you've read the first 2 parts before this. Enjoy!**  
  
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"There is a great journey ahead for you, Hikari," Light said. "If you pass in 24 Earth hours, you will find Takeru's body and he will be revived. If not, you will never see him again. I'm sorry, but that's how it is. I wish it could be easier."  
  
Hikari gulped, but bravely replied, "I don't care. I will do anything to help Takeru. Please tell me what to do."  
  
Light nodded. "Very well. What I'm about to tell you will get you prepared for your journey into the light...."**  
  
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"Tell me what to do," repeated Hikari. Her hands were shaking with cold sweat as tears ran down her face. "Please, what can I do to save Takeru?? What is the journey I must take?"   
  
The Angel of Light looked down at her with solemn, sapphire eyes. "I will  
transport you into a different world. From there, you will have to  
occupy two crystals: the Light Crystal and the Hope Crystal."  
  
Hikari wiped her tears and nodded. Taichi walked quickly to her, and put his arms  
around his little sister. She was going through a tough time, and needed the warm fire of courage to protect her.  
  
"With those crystals united, you will be able to save Takeru. He will be found and  
revived."  
  
"What about the drunk driver?" asked Taichi, tightening his hold onto Hikari.  
  
Light nodded. "Hopefully, he will be revealed, too. But I do not know of the two  
crystals' powers. I just know that they're powers are immense. You are spiritually  
connected to those crystals. Since Takeru is somewhat gone, the balance between him and the Hope Crystal is disrupted. They will both be revived if the two Lights are united with them. However, if the Hopes are not revived in 24 Earth hours, they will vanish."  
  
Yamato, finding his voice, said shakily, "You mean....we won't see them....ever  
again?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Hikari looked at the ground, and squeezed her older brother's hand. There's no  
way out of this. She was scared plenty, but there were only two choices for her to pick.   
It's either do it, or lose Takeru forever.  
  
Hikari looked bravely up at the Angel of Light. "When do I begin?"  
  
"You begin...."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
"Now."  
  
Hikari blinked. The highway suddenly disappeared! She looked all around her.   
Her friends were no where to be found. It was just a forest, full of pure green leaves and  
bushes. Wild flowers popped out everywhere, in different shapes and sizes. Curious, she walked over to a patch of large, eight-pedaled pink flowers. She plucked one off from it's ground and sniffed it, looking at her surroundings.  
  
"Remember, Guardian of Light," said the Angel. She was no where to be seen,  
but the sky was filled with her voice. "You only have 24 Earth hours. You will overcome  
some obstacles along the way. Do not be fooled by these delusions. Good luck....."  
  
"But where the hell do I start?!" cried Hikari, throwing down the flower.   
"Augh...." she muttered, kicking a rock. "My soul is spiritually linked to the Light  
Crystal....but what does that mean, damnit??"   
  
Taking deep breaths, she said to herself again, "Okay, Hikari, don't lose it. Just  
keep walking, and....I don't know....see where this forest leads you."   
  
She walked, trembling along the road of the forest, hesitant to go any further. She  
didn't know where to go. This was all a mystery to her. Hikari didn't even know where  
she was, where she was going, or how to get there. _Just save Takeru...._she said to herself, surveying the forest trees. Her eyes wandered back to the bushes of flowers that she picked from. Something was familiar about those flowers. The color. The shape....  
  
_My crest...._  
The Crest of Light resembles a light pink flower. She remembered the first time  
she saw it, in the battle with Myotismon. She would always remember the gentle flash of pink. When she used to have it, it'd always remind her of the time she became a Chosen Child, a Digidestined. She ran over to the bush and plucked off one of its petals again.  
  
"The eight petals it had always reminded me of the original eight," she murmured  
to no one. "Taichi, Yamato, Sora," she touched the petals gently as she said their names,"Jyou, Mimi, Koushiro, myself, and...." Her finger paused against the last one, tears already forming in her eyes. "Takeru..." she whispered. The she gasped.  
  
To her horror, Takeru's "petal" fell to the ground from her slightest touch.  
  
She ran from it, still holding the now seven-pedaled flower in her hands. _How  
freaky...._she thought. _Onii-chan! I wish you were with me! _ She started gasping from the air she was losing while running. Hikari knew she had to get out of the forest. The  
energy coming out of it was giving her chills. _ He'd know what to do....I don't! I...I'm not  
strong like my brother!  
_  
Hikari soon stopped at the edge of the forest. There were no more trees around  
her, but a cave. It was a simple cave, built from old rocks that might have formed it. But something was familiar about it. Suddenly, it was like she was 11-years-old again. She, Takeru, and Iori were running from the DarkTyranomon, leaving Miyako and Holsmon, and Daisuke and Fladramon, and Digmon alone to fight. They were off, searching for the two Digimentals their D-3's picked up. And then they turned out to be the Digimentals of Hope and Light. With them, Tailmon and Patamon could evolve into Nefertimon and Pegasmon.  
  
"But," started Hikari, "why would the cave with my Digimental be here?   
Unless...." Her eyes widened. She turned around from the cave and scanned the sky  
quickly, until she spotted a high mountain peak. "It _is_!" she exclaimed. "That's Infinity  
Mountain. That must mean I'm in the Digital World...." The flower she was holding  
suddenly glowed a brilliant shade of pink. Hikari had to shade her eyes from it's energy.   
_If this is the cave where I found my Digimental....Maybe it's the cave where I can get the  
Light Crystal....._  
  
She started in toward the cave. The insides of it suddenly looked very familiar to her, which reminded her of the old days. The bright energy of the flower radiated, and the shadows in the cave seemed to dance on the walls._ I'm getting close to something....I know it...._Hikari thought._ Now, where was the place where Takeru and I first found our Digimentals? _She walked pasted the group of rocks that her and her friends sat down at to find the Digimentals. Hikari remembered that she looked left....and...._There!_ she thought. _I saw the flash of light from my Digimental over there! _She ran over to another batch of rocks where she remembered that Patamon and Tailmon first armor evolved.  
  
"Shimatta!" she cursed. "There's nothing here!" She looked down at the flower.   
"It probably just reacted to the power from the old Digimentals."  
  
"Well, well, little girl," said a familiar cocky voice.  
  
Hikari spun around. A part of the wall behind her suddenly came alive, and a  
Digimon stepped out. Hikari gasped. Standing right in front of her, stout, looking like his height was no taller than up to Hikari's waist, was Pinnochimon.  
  
Pinnochimon, as she remembered, was one of the Dark Masters. He was  
especially known to Takeru. When they were younger, Takeru was a victim as one of  
Pinnochimon's "play toys". They "played", all right. Pinnochimon nearly killed Takeru,  
and Hikari cannot forget that, even though she wasn't even there. Takeru finally tricked  
Pinnochimon, and escaped while he was occupied.  
  
_"You!" _she cried. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Hey, this is a free Digital World. I can be wherever I want," Pinnochimon said  
coyly. "Right now, I'm here because I want to play."  
  
"You really haven't changed, have you?" Hikari demanded, her hands on her hips.   
"No way would I ever want to play with you. And I'm busy. Go away."  
  
Pinnochimon pouted sarcastically. "No one ever wants to play with me. You're  
just like you're little love toy, Takeru-kun." He grinned mischievously. "That's too bad.   
'Cause....I have something you don't have," he sang. "And yoouuu want it. And you  
won't get it, since you're so mean to me."  
  
Hikari narrowed her eyes. "Nani?"  
  
"You want the Light Crystal, don't you? Well, you need to come through me to  
get it."  
  
Hikari's heart sank. She was expecting to get the two Crystals through something,  
not someone. Especially not Pinnochimon.  
  
She sighed helplessly. "Look, Pinnochimon no bakayaro, what do you want? I'll do  
anything for the Crystal. Please, I just want it. I have to save Takeru. _Please."  
_  
"Aww, you almost make me want to give it to you for free. Here, I'll go easy on  
you. How about, if you give me something of yours, I'll give you the Crystal. It'll be a  
trade. What do you say?"  
  
Hikari looked at him in the eye. "Hai. All right. What do you want?"  
  
"Hmm..." Pinnochimon looked at Hikari up and down. "What about...that ring on  
the chain around your neck? I'll give you the Crystal for that."  
  
Hikari's hand flew toward the ring. _ Oh no. Takeru's ring!_ she thought  
frantically. Takeru gave it to her on her fifteenth birthday. It was the same day as their  
graduation dance, and all her friends were excited to be graduating. At the dance, Takeru gave Hikari a diamond ring, and confessed his love for her in front of the entire school. It was one of the most precious gifts he's ever given her. Now that she's older, she had to wear it on a chain around her neck, since the ring couldn't fit her finger anymore.  
  
_What am I going to do?_ Hikari thought.  
  
Pinnochimon saw her hesitance. "Well? Is it a trade? Or are you too chicken to  
do it?"  
  
Hikari took a deep breath. "This ring means a lot to me," she said firmly, but  
shakily. "But...." She paused. "Takeru means more. And if I had to give up a stupid ring to save his life, I would. So here," Hikari removed the clasp from the chain and gave Pinnochimon the ring, "take it."  
  
Pinnochimon looked at the ring in his hand, and looked at Hikari. "Great job,  
Hikari," he said softly. "You passed." In a flash of smoke, he disappeared, leaving the  
ring behind him.   
  
But next to the ring was a crystal, no bigger than a baseball, shining with it's light  
pink radiance. The flower in Hikari's hand reacted to its power, and floated towards it.   
In a flash of pink light, the flower was engraved in the crystal, just like the Symbol of  
Light.  
  
"The Light Crystal," Hikari whispered, as she picked it up, along with the ring.   
"But...how?"  
  
A voice filled the cave. "It was a test, Hikari. That was not the real Pinnochimon.   
That test proved your love for Takeru, and showed that you were able to inherit the Light  
Crystal."  
  
"Angewomon?" Hikari asked, puzzled.  
  
"The rest of the journey will not be easy, Guardian of Light. You have twenty  
hours left, but don't take advantage of the time. I wish you the best of luck."  
  
Hikari observed the Light Crystal carefully, and gaped at the symbol. The seventh  
pedal that had fallen off from the flower did not show up on the crystal. _I guess that  
means I have to look harder to find Takeru's Crystal. And I think I know just where to  
find it.  
_  
As if the Crystal read her thoughts, it glowed again it's colorful aura. It's energy  
surrounded her in a pink force field, and lifted her up into the air. Hikari was frightened  
by the sudden boost of height, but not for long. Within moments, Hikari was soaring  
through the sunlit sky, in search for the Hope Crystal.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
::sighs:: Well, this sucks. Please review. Flames are welcome. I wouldn't be surprised if I found some. Ja ne!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. Illusions, Delusions, and Confidence- Th...

  
  
Hikari searched long and hard for the one spot she knew where to find the Crystal.   
_Don't worry, Takeru,_ she thought firmly. _I will find it. Hold on._ The Digital World was  
a pink forest below her, reflecting off the pink color of the force field she was in. Gently  
flying over the clouds, she sat herself down on her balloon-like ride, massaging a cramp on her leg that crept up while standing this whole time.  
  
She looked at her watch. _ Five hours have past? Fifteen hours left? No way..._  
Hikari glanced up at the rest of the sky above her, but only saw pink. She could not seethe darkness outside of the bubble, but her body, reacting to time, suddenly became weak. Her eyes started drooping.   
  
_No, _she thought to herself, shaking her head awake. _I can't sleep. I have to get  
the Hope Crystal. Fifteen hours. I have to find it. I have to save Takeru. I have to see  
him again....Augh..._ She let her hands support herself as she looked down at the world  
below her. _ Crystal, crystal, where are you?_ she thought, rubbing her temples. The pink  
of her force field suddenly became too bright for her to see. _I'm seeing too much pink...  
And I thought I was used to it from being in my and Mimi's closets..._ She smiled, as she remembered her family and friends back home on Earth.  
  
Then, her smile faltered. "They must be so worried about Takeru and me," she  
said aloud, hugging herself. She suddenly felt very cold, and looked down at the Light  
Crystal in her hand. Pink. Symbol of Light. _ Seven pedals...  
_  
She shivered, remembering when she touched the symbol of Light-look-alike  
flower. One pedal flew off. Takeru's pedal. _It was to remind me,_ she thought. _It was to  
remind me that I don't have much time. That lost pedal will really be Takeru if I don't  
find the Hope Crystal now._  
  
Hikari remembered the words that were spoken to her. Takeru was gone. His  
body was not found. She must retrieve the Hope and Light Crystals, the sources of their energies, the links that linked them together. She must find them, and reunite them. _ I must find them... Takeru must be saved!_ Her eyes narrowed down towards the Digital World, suddenly revived with a whole new energy. A new energy of courage. _Taichi's praying for me. Oniichan knows I can do it._  
  
Suddenly, from down below, there was a clearing of rocks and ruin. The  
7-pedaled Light Crystal was reacting. _ This is my stop, _she thought to herself, looking at  
her watch. _ Fourteen and a half hours left. I can do this._ With that, she stopped right on top of the clearing. Then, the force field popped and she ended up hurtling towards the ground, in an earth-shaking scream....  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Damn!" Taichi cursed, pounding on his door. "Damn it, where is she???"  
  
Meanwhile, as Hikari was on her journey, the rest of the Chosen Children were at  
Taichi's apartment at his college. His roommates were out of town, so he had the whole apartment to himself. The parents that were at the quarry have went home, and the friends promised that they will contact them as soon as they have heard from Hikari.  
  
"Calm yourself, Taichi," Sora said softly, taking his hand. A lone tear slid slowly  
down her face and onto the hand.  
  
"Gomen... It's just that.... She should be home by now!" he cried out in anguish.   
"Who knows what demon-infested place she was taken to? What if she's dead? What if she's lost? Starving? Lonely? Scared? In trou- ?"  
  
He had got cut off by a familiar hand to his face. Yamato's familiar, but still  
strong, punch had snapped Taichi back to reality.  
  
"Taichi, cool it," he snapped. "Hikari is a great girl. Brave, strong. She has light  
and power. And since she really is 'spiritually connected' with Takeru, she has hope,  
too."  
  
"Yamato's right," spoke up the soft-spoken Iori. Even as an older man, he is still  
the reasonable little boy from six years ago. "We should believe in Hikari. You know  
she'll be okay. We all know she'll be okay."  
  
Taichi held a hand to his face; the spot where Yamato hit him. He closed his eyes,  
wondering what Hikari was doing now. He wondered if she hadn't given up hope, or lost  
her light. He felt his fire burning up inside his heart. _Hikari... if you can hear me... Please don't be afraid... Never give up. I know you can do this. Please, Hikari. Save Takeru, and come back safely...  
_  
"Well, I just got off the phone with Mimi..." Miyako said, coming back from the  
kitchen. She had a tray in her hands, and offered everyone cups of tea that she had made. She stirred her own cup. "She said to contact her as soon as we know what's happening. She's really worried. Ken said the same thing."  
  
"Ken?" inquired Jyou. "Isn't he in vacation in Mexico right now?"  
  
"Hai," she replied, cleaning out her glasses. She put them back on. "I called his  
hotel." She smiled at Taichi. "Don't worry. I'll pay for the bill when it comes."  
  
He gave Miyako a weak smile. "Arigatou... But you don't have to do that." He  
sat back, and slowly drank his tea. "I wonder what she's doing now..."  
  
"Hey..." Koushiro said from his laptop computer. He was sitting on the couch  
with his computer in his hands, typing away for the past hour. No one knew what he was doing. It didn't seem unusual, since he was always typing at his computer. But now, his black eyes were wide with excitement. "Come check this out, minna."  
  
Everyone crowded around him and his computer. On the screen, there was a  
layout of a map, and a pink dot on it, moving slowly across the screen. Off to the side  
were scans that went up and down from 0% and 100%, 0 miles and 2000 miles, etc.   
Everyone seemed confused by this layout, except for maybe Miyako.  
  
"I have pinpointed Hikari's location," Koushiro explained. "Now, we can follow  
where she's going." He gave everyone a self-satisfied smile.  
  
"Koushiro! You're a genius!" Daisuke exclaimed. "How did you do it? Hikari  
doesn't have her D-3 with her!"  
  
"Yes, but it seems as though she has gotten the Light Crystal, which is the pink  
dot," Koushiro said, pointing it out. "These Crystals are a source of power, just like the  
D-3's and the Digivices. I contacted Hikari's source of power, and bingo, I found her."  
  
"So..." Sora said. "She only has to find one Crystal! That's great!"  
  
"Easier said than done, Sora," Miyako suddenly spoke up, pointing at the screen.   
"There isn't any mark of the physical appearance of the Crystal. Hikari must've gotten it  
spiritually or something. If it was like that for the Light, imagine what it would be like for  
the Hope."  
  
"Wait... look at that..." Iori said, his eyes suddenly getting wide. "Her speed is  
growing, and the pink light is fading...."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hikari's piercing scream echoed all throughout the Digital World. _I'm going to  
die, I'm going to die,_ she thought, closing her eyes, feeling the wind rush up to meet her. Then, as if somebody put a mattress under her, she started to float down, gently meeting the ground with her feet. Her eyes widened in surprise and she looked around her. The rocks were bigger than they seemed, and there were puddles of water everywhere. Patches of grass were laying below her feet as she realized how dark the sky was already.  
  
The rocks in front of her looked so familiar. _The remains of Spiral Mountain?_ she  
thought, touching one of the big boulders. She had a flash back. She and Takeru were  
the only ones not turned into key chains. The others depended on them. They climbed the rope. The rope was cut. They were sent hurtling in the air. Then, Angemon evolved...  
  
Hikari shook her head. "There's no time to go back to memory lane," she said  
firmly to herself.  
  
Walking around the rubble, she found herself to grow tired. Her eyes drooped, as  
she found a flat rock to lay on top of. _ No! You can't! Don't go to sleep! Time doesn't  
stop when you fall asleep! Go and save Takeru! _ her mind screamed. Her eyes wouldn't listen to her mind. _ I think I'll just close my eyes for a couple seconds.... To regain energy..._ she thought to herself, laying down in a comfortable position. In a matter of seconds, she drifted off to sleep....  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"What? What happened?"  
  
"A dark pink dot? It used to be a light pink dot. Koushiro, what's going on?"  
  
"Her energy level is weakening... It seems like... She's gone to sleep...?"  
  
"Sleep? Sleep?! She doesn't have time to sleep! She has to get up! Save my  
brother! Please Hikari, Please save Takeru!"  
  
"Now who needs a slap in the face, Yamato?"  
  
"Shut up, Taichi."  
  
"Now, you guys, calm down... Koushiro, isn't there anyway to wake her up?"  
  
"No... we can't reach her physically. It seems as though she was really tired."  
  
"Yeah, well, I don't blame her..."  
  
_Voices... voices.... Familiar voices..._ Hikari thought dreamily, tossing in her sleep.   
Familiar faces were forming in her head. Taichi, her brother. Sora. Yamato. Miyako.   
Iori. Jyou. Koushiro. Daisuke. Two others, not home. Away. Ken. Mimi. Another  
face... blurry..._ Can't... make it out..._ she thought.  
  
"Hey! Hey you!"  
  
Hikari got up and looked around her. There was a field spread out with colorful  
flowers, and at the edge, stood a forest. The warm breeze blew through her auburn hair  
as she breathed in fresh air once again.  
  
"Hey! Hey! What are you, deaf?"  
  
Looking down, she saw a little bird, moving its beak, talking to her. By the bird  
was another one, another color, and the faces of the flowers in front of her suddenly  
popped up. _The birds and flowers are talking?_ she asked herself.  
  
"Um.. yes?" she asked, feeling stupid that she was talking to them.  
  
"Are you lost or something? You seem lost," a flower said.  
  
"Yeah. Who are you looking for?"  
  
"Oh, um.. I'm looking... I'm looking for a Crystal," she said, her mind suddenly  
fuzzy. "Have you seen one around here?"  
  
"A Crystal?" a bird said dubiously. "There are no crystals around here. Why do  
you need it? For jewelry?"  
  
"No." She shook her head, and knelt down beside them in the grass. "I need them  
to help... someone."  
  
"Someone? Who?"  
  
"I..." she said, become dizzy. "I... umm..."  
  
"See? You can't even remember," a young flower said, shaking its pedals in  
disgust. "Why would you need to find the crystal for someone when you can have it for  
yourself? You can't rely on anyone in this world, except for yourself."  
  
"That's not true!" Hikari protested. _I can't believe I'm fighting with a flower..._ "I  
have my friends! I rely on my friends!"  
  
"I don't see them anywhere, do you?"  
  
Hikari looked around. The green grass and colorful surroundings disappeared.   
She was left floating in gray darkness, in a beach, with gloomy waves of the ocean sitting still in front of her. _No friends anywhere... Just myself... Myself... Alone... _she shivered as she sunk down to the ground. _ Why am I doing this? I can't do this. I can't do this mission. I have no friends. They would've came with me. I'm all alone...  
_  
"You don't have any friends. You are all alone," the little voice said to her. The  
waves of the dark ocean seemed to cover her, choking her with her own sadness. She was falling... falling...  
  
_Hikari!_  
She opened her eyes in the ocean, seeing nothing but total blackness.  
  
_Hikari! Please help me, Hikari!_  
  
_That voice... so familiar... _she thought.  
  
_Hikari! Help! I need you!  
_  
The vision of her friends came back. Taichi, Yamato, Sora, Jyou, Koushiro, Jyou,  
Mimi, Daisuke, Miyako, Iori, Ken... _Takeru..._  
  
"TAKERU!" she cried, shooting up from her spot on the rock. It was morning.   
The dark sky had gone, and it was replaced by the bright golden sun of the Digiworld.   
She had been asleep for the whole night. Looking at her watch, she noticed that her timer had gone off. _ Five more minutes left...  
_  
_I've been asleep... _she thought dizzily. _Five minutes. _"NO!" she cried out, and  
dived into the first pile of rocks that she saw. Crying with tears of anguish, she tossed the rocks rapidly, in desperation to find the Hope Crystal, cursing herself for her laziness. _ Five minutes... I can't do it, _she thought. "Somebody, please, help me!!"  
  
Her mind flashed back to when they were younger. When Takeru was needed to  
protect her. Then, when they were older, when Takeru protected her from the dark  
ocean, bringing her back to the real world. They had saved Earth. They had saved the  
Digital World. No way was Hikari going to let Takeru be taken away from her.  
  
"I _will _do it. I _can_ do it. _ I have Hope..."  
_  
With those words, the rocks in front of her floated up into mid-air. One by one,  
they matched into each other, like a jigsaw puzzle, into one big rock. Then, they  
minimized so that they were no bigger than the Light Crystal. A yellow light washed over them, making them as clear as glass. Just like the rising sun, it flashed a brilliant gold, and the sign of Hope appeared.   
  
Hikari leaped up to catch it, reuniting the Light and Hope together, as they merged  
into one big light as the final minute erupted...  
  
  
"Hikari?"  
  
"Takeru?"   
  
Hikari was floating in the sky, looking down at her home in Odaiba. In her hands  
were the crystals of Hope and Light, glimmering brightly against the sun. Turning over  
the Light Crystal, she sighed with relief. The sign was on there. _The 8-pedal sign...  
_  
"You did great, Hikari," Takeru said to her, hugging her closely as they settled  
down towards the apartment home where the others were staying. No one was up yet. A new day was dawning.  
  
"Takeru..." she whispered, drawing him down for a kiss. "I can't believe you're  
alive... I can't believe... I did it..."  
  
His blue eyes were twinkling. "You did believe. That's why you did it. You  
unleashed the energy of Hope."  
  
Hikari's hair was tousled, her eyes were shining, and her clothes were torn and  
dirty from the journey, but to Takeru, she looked just as beautiful as she did when he first saw her as a young girl.  
  
"I didn't think I could do it," she whispered. "But... I tried to believe. I couldn't  
live without you."  
  
"Neither could I..." Takeru said softly, taking her hand. _ It feels so good... to be  
back from the dead, _he thought, smiling. He knew he could trust in Hikari. He was  
watching her from far away. He had tried to make contact with her in her dreams when  
she had lost energy and had fallen asleep. It had worked. Now, he was back on Earth,  
holding his true love in his arms. "That's why I have something to ask you," he said,  
getting on his knee. "Will you marry me?"  
  
Hikari's face widened into a smile. Tears glistened in her eyes. She leaned over  
and hugged him tightly until they both fell to the ground. "Yes. I'll marry you."  
  
***~The End~*  
  
**Yes, I know, this ending sucks, but I had to get it done ^.^;  



End file.
